The present invention relates in general to hinge structures, and specifically to the lower hinge assembly of a refrigerator door having an electrically operated water and ice cube dispenser, wherein water and electrical power are provided to the dispenser by a water conveying conduit, and by a plurality of electrical conductors constituting a wiring harness, the conduit and conductors together passing through the lower hinge assembly for connection to a water supply line and an electrical control circuit of the refrigerator.
Door-mounted water and ice cube dispensers are well known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,140 discloses a water and ice cube dispenser supplied with water by a water conveying conduit connected to a supply line via the lower hinge assembly which pivotally supports the door. Thus, the lower hinge assembly illustrated in the '140 patent serves a dual function, i.e., it pivotally supports the door at its lower end, and it provides for the passage of a water conveying conduit connected between the door-mounted dispenser and the water supply line.
It is also known in the art to provide a lower hinge assembly for a refrigerator door which provides for passage therethrough of a plurality of electrical conductors connected between the electrical control circuit of the refrigerator and a door-mounted electrical device, such as the electronic control assembly illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,813.
To the best of the inventor's knowledge, there exists no lower hinge structure for a refrigerator door which provides for the passage of both a water conveying conduit and a plurality of electrical conductors for connection to an electrically operated water and ice cube dispenser supported by the refrigerator door. Such a hinge would perform three functions, namely, the pivotal support of the door at its lower end, the passage therethrough of a water conveying conduit, and the passage therethrough of a plurality of electrical conductors.
Numerous requirements must be met in providing such a multifunction hinge assembly.
For example, the hinge structure must be rugged and strong to permit repeated opening and closing of the refrigerator door over its 10 to 20-year life span.
Also, means must be provided to preclude fatigue breakage of the conduit and conductors passing through the hinge, such fatigue breakage being caused by localized twisting and untwisting of the conduit and conductors at a point along their length as the door is repeatedly opened and closed.
Additionally, the overall lower hinge assembly must be generally airtight relative to the interior of the refrigerator door to preclude the build-up of condensate inside by door by relatively humid room air entering the door interior via the hinge assembly.
Also, such a hinge structure must be relatively inexpensive to manufacture and assemble due to the highly cost-competitive nature of the domestic appliance industry.
Finally, the hinge assembly must permit easy removal of the door to facilitate servicing.
The foregoing requirements and others are met by the present invention.